169 -=For the greater good=-

*beep* *beep* *beep*

'I hate this sound'

Naruto sat at a chair inside a hospital room

*beep* *beep* *beep*

'grandpa...'

Looking at the bed, he saw Hiruzen, breathing steadily but weakly

Old age had caught up to the man after all

One day after training with Naruto, they were walking around the village when he suddenly fell down unconscious

Since then days had passed, and the man hadn't awakened even once

*beep* *beep* *beep*

The only thing that proved the man wasn't a corpse yet, was his heart, beating to the sound of the monitor beside his bed

*Knock* *knock*

A knock to the door, but Naruto didn't seem to compute it

He was lost in his own thoughts while looking at the man in front of him

What must be going on inside his mind, he wondered?

Was it his whole life as people often said?

Or was it a dream? A sad one? A happy one? Was he in it?

He wondered...

*Door opening*

Naruto didn't even flinch at the sound of the door being opened

"Naruto?"

He didn't answer

"Oy, Naruto? Helloooo?"

Still no answer

*Bam*

"Argh! What was that for?"

He finally said something after receiving a slap to the back of the head

Looking back he saw Luna, Kaede and Sasuke

Luna being the one talking, of course

"Uhm... Hello?"

Not sure what to say, he said that

"You. Us. Out."

Luna said, not asking, ordering

"But..."

"No buts! We know how much Hokage-sama means to you, but you have already been here for 3 days!

I'm sure he would also hate seeing you like this!"

To that, Kaede nodded, and Sasuke also nodded along

Naruto took a long look at Hiruzen...

'...grandpa wouldn't want me like this... You say?'

Finally, after thinking about it for a while, he accepted

"Okay..."

...

*beep* *beep* *beep*

And after he left, the rhythmic sound of the heart monitor was the only thing that made sound inside the room again

-=-

How does one make someone happy?

Such a question is indeed, impossible to answer

Not because of it being too hard, or a trick question

But because the answer is depending on so many factors, that every moment it could have another answer

But some things were obvious when trying so

Luna led Naruto, Sasuke and Kaede around Konoha, to Naruto's favorite places

Ichiraku, the hot springs, the swing set by the academy, the 7th training ground... Etc

Little by little, his gloomy mood began to improve

Kaede even thought impressive how much she knew Naruto, even though they were teammates...

'interesting...'

'hnn... You also know me well Ceres...'

<... don't do anything reckless>

'c'min, you know me'

'hey! Have some faith in me, will ya?'

<...>

While Kaede bickered with Ceres, Luna led them to the top of the hokage monument

Naruto loved the sight of the village from up there, he spent some time there every day after training with Hiruzen after all

'Grandpa...'

Seeing him starting to feel sad again, Luna asked

"Why do you like this place Naruto?"

"Eh?

...

I think... It's because it always remembers me of why I am still fighting?"

He said, looking at.the village below

"Grandpa once told me that there would be a day everyone in the village would look at me with respect, and that is my goal..."

"I thought it was being hokage?"

Sasuke asked

"Yeah, but isn't it all the same?"

Naruto said, looking up at the sun setting in the distance

"At least... It feels that way to me..."

This time though, he had a small smile adorning his face

'Mission accomplished!'

Luna cheered mentally

"And you?"

Naruto asked, looking at the others

Sure, they may not like the view like he does, but he believed that it should spark something in them, anything

"... I guess this makes me think of the future?"

Sasuke said

Most of his feelings about this village aren't exactly positive, so this is the best he can do

"... Reminds me of my family... The days we played together around the village..."

Kaede said, surprising the other three

She hadn't really opened up like this before, ever

"Family, huh?"

Luna said

"I guess all of us have in some sort, thoughts about our families from here..."

All of them nodded

"Though... I guess I'll soon be with them..."

Kaede said

This wasn't a metaphor for dying like they thought, she was being honest

Soon, she would be reunited with them

Soon...

"I guess I too will meet again one of my family members..."

Sasuke said with annoyance in his voice

He had hidden it, but his hatred had never gone away

Why, yes, he knew Itachi had reasons, but those didn't matter to him

He had taken what is most precious to an Uchiha from Sasuke, his family

What a distasteful prank it would be if right this instant reality unfolded in front of his eyes proving it all to be just another genjutsu of his brother...

Distasteful, but oh so relieving it would be...

Unfortunately, reality is too often disappointing

Kaede looked at him from the corner of her eyes

"You should at least make peace with yourself before that, after all, can't keep staring at the finished guy in the mirror forever, no?"

Those words were meant for Sasuke, but all 3 of them felt it within them

"... Damn... Who knew you too could be wise sometimes?"

Luna said, impressed

"What can I say? I do have the talent for it"

Naruto who was staring at the setting sun, saw it disappear in the horizon

'even if the sun is not visible, it doesn't mean it is not there, huh?'

Remembering wise words once told him, he took a deep breath

Indeed, maybe Hiruzen wouldn't make it, but he surely would be watching him together with his parents as he achieved his dreams...

Wouldn't he?

Just the thought made his mood brighter

Smiling brightly, he looked back at the others

Sasuke smiled back, he too found something in Kaede's words

Kaede just nodded slightly

To Luna though, it seemed like the sun hadn't set yet

Something as bright had taken it's place after all

...

-=-

*beep* ... *beep*

"We're losing him!"

Hurried voices said

*Beeeeeeeeee-*

"With me, 1... 2... 3... Now!"

*Lightning sounds*

"1... 2... 3... Again!"

*Lightning sounds*

*Beep* ... *Beep*

The medics were relieved to see Hiruzen's heart beat once again, but before they could commemorate...

*Beeeeeeeeeeeeeee-*

Didn't matter how many times they tried to restart his heart after

It was all in vain

At that day, at 0:00 Hiruzen, the third hokage, had died with a smile on his face

-=-